[An approach to the examination of tinnitus by information theory].

Applying Shannon's communication system, the auditory system with tinnitus was assumed as a noisy discrete channel because the tinnitus was considered as a distubance in the rate of information transmission. The equation of the rate of information transmission (R) in the auditory system with tinnitus was determined according to the information theory. Practical calculation of R in the patients complaining of tinnitus was conducted from the data of their audiogram. The relation between the calculated R and loudness (db) of signal sound were charted in rectangular co-ordinates, where the ordinate and abscissa represented R and londness respectively. This was named the R-db chart. The examination of R in 20 patients complaining of tinnitus and in 9 normal persons revealed that tinnitus converts the figure of the R-db chart. Further investigation is required to determine the usefulness of the R-db chart to the differential diagnosis on the causes of tinnitus.